BFE scandal | Special units in Dresden and Chemnitz are being liquidated

In December, it was announced that the Dresden Evidence Preservation and Arrest Unit (BFE) had been suspended following allegations of violent initiation rituals. According to reports, the rituals included, among other things, candidates being forced to wear steel helmets ignited with lighter fluid. The flames were then allegedly extinguished with spades.

Following a new parliamentary question from Left Party MP Jule Nagel, further details have now emerged. According to the report, new BFE officers were allegedly forced to first consume significant amounts of alcohol and have their heads shaved at a welcome party on June 12, 2024. They were then "put on a motorcycle helmet without a visor, which was sprayed with disinfectant and then set on fire." The new colleagues were then allegedly hit on the helmet with a spade, accompanied by the words "Now you're part of the family!"

The Saxon Ministry of the Interior also admitted a second, previously unknown incident: On October 26, new civil servants in Dresden were allegedly forced to "eat an extremely spicy currywurst, which was said to have been seasoned with a strong spice mixture with a spiciness of one million Scoville units, along with the sauce, against their will."

"What sounds like adolescent nonsense is irresponsible and unworthy of a professional authority," commented Jule Nagel. The Left Party politician criticized the fact that transparency had to be established only after her repeated inquiries. In response to her previous parliamentary question, the Interior Ministry had refused to provide information, citing ongoing investigations.

After the allegations became known in November, the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office initiated investigations against eight officers on suspicion of assault in office and particularly serious coercion. Six of the victims are BFE employees. Disciplinary proceedings are underway against 16 police officers. All officers affected by investigations or disciplinary measures returned to work at the beginning of January, but were "assigned other duties."

As a result of the incidents, the affected police unit was partially disbanded in mid-December. However, a more comprehensive restructuring is planned: According to the new information, the current Dresden BFE will be "organizationally and personnel-wise developed at the headquarters of the riot police in Leipzig." The Chemnitz BFE will also be attached to the headquarters in the state capital.

The investigation began after a raid in which incriminating images and video footage were seized from the suspects' cell phones. The investigation is being led by the Integrated Investigation Unit Saxony (INES), located at the State Criminal Police Office (LKA), and the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office.

Left Party MP Jule Nagel is fundamentally demanding more transparency from the police: "It would be truly professional to ensure full transparency in cases of misconduct – as is consistent with the official mission statement of the Saxony Police."